PAF 101 EXERCISES – MODULE 2
BASED ON CHAPTERS 2, 3, & 4

Whenever you use a source in your answer, including all quotes, you must provide an APA-style internal citation and a full APA-style reference in the References page exercise, except in the case of personal communications. HINT: Most of these exercises require citations.
Whenever you attach an article, it must be directly behind the exercise in which it appears, and it must be clearly labeled with the exercise number and letter to which it pertains. Attach only the first page of the article unless otherwise stated.
Whenever searching for articles or other sources, do not use any information pertaining to other countries than the United States.

Exercise 2.1: Locating Quantitative Data
Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 6 points)

You must use the LexisNexis Statistical Datasets to find a trend line graph and accompanying data table with at least three pieces of data, relevant to your societal category. The data must represent information within the last five years. Use the database’s ‘print’ feature to print out that graph and data table. Attach the print out directly behind the page on which this exercise appears. (6 points)
  • Write one sentence describing one data point from your trend line graph and include an internal citation here:

The data show the people who smoked cigarettes regularly.

"Preventing smoking among teenagers and young adults is critical because smoking usually begins in adolescence. Smoking during pregnancy contributes to elevated risk of miscarriage, premature delivery, and having a low birth weight infant."

  • Identify the Source Organization for this data and indicate that here:

The organization who were responsible for this data were the Center for Control Disease and Prevention and the National Center for Health Statistics.

Centers for Disease Control and National Center for Health Statistics (2007), "Health, United States, 2007 with Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans", October 16, 2010.
http://www.lnstatistical.com/PdfMerge?id=nnzYxEMN_3P2hjRT-Fs2CHBL2lx4v8_v9ARbtyEqHIYr34JGU3G7swKIi2J_7LMOJ3JW4YSgoXKn6brIHVpE3duGxOsCnh77W_N9tJe8waOrqIPvhQo7K7eps20c_sOZfg1bU2mktCR-ESrK_2xGzA%3D%3D . Page 57



Exercise 2.2: Finding Periodical Articles
Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 8 points)

Using the ProQuest Research Library database, locate a news or magazine article relevant to your societal category at any geographic level. Do not use an article from an academic journal. Attach a photocopy or printout of the first page of the article directly behind this exercise. Make sure the article was published within the last six months.


  • Quote one relevant sentence from the article that is related to your societal category here:

"Data from 548 participants in the National Study of Health and Life Experiences of Women and 405 participants in the Chicago Health and Life Experiences of Women study were pooled to address these relationships. We compared hazardous drinking, childhood sexual abuse (CSA), adult sexual assault (ASA), and revictimization (both CSA and ASA) across the five sexual identity subgroups. We then fit a multilevel general linear model to examine group differences in the relationships between hazardous drinking and sexual victimization and to test for potential interactions between victimization and identity on hazardous drinking."

Tonda,,,,,(2010) "Sexual victimization and hazardous drinking among heterosexual and sexual minority women", October 16,2010, http://proquest.umi.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/pqdweb?index=3&did=2154229091&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=2&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1287259992&clientId=3739.


Exercise 2.3: Locating Books
Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 6 points)

Using the library catalog, find a book on your societal category at any geographic level. The publication date of the book must be within the last fifteen years. Books published by the government may not be used for this exercise. Attach a photocopy of the title page directly behind the page on which this exercise appears.

  • Directly quote a full sentence from the book that is related to your societal category here:

"In 1970, Americans spent about 6 billion on fast food; in 2000, they spent more than 110 billion. American now spend more money on fast food than on higher education, personal computers, computer software, or new cars. They spend more on fast food than on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, and recorded music - combined."

Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal (2001) is a book by investigate journalist Eric Schlosser.

Schlosser Erik(2001), "Fast Food Nation", October 16,2010,http://books.google.com/books?id=yNFN1OpnkBkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=fast+food+nation&hl=en&ei=Cii6TIGjJ4G0lQfux7n0DQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false



Exercise 2.4: Using United States Government Publications
Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 6 points)

Using http://catalog.gpo.gov, locate one United States government publication relevant to your societal category at any geographic level.

  • The publication should include a clearly identified "title page" and the names of individual or organizational authors, such as those found within formal government agency reports, newsletters, online journals/magazines, etc. These government publications are often posted in "PDF”. Their pages frequently are numbered.
  • The publication you locate should not merely consist of a brief news
    announcement or other informal online information summary. These types of publications are often posted on the web in "HTML" format only.
  • Do not use U.S. Census information.
  • Attach a photocopy or printout of the cover or title page of the document directly behind the page on which this exercise appears.
  • No citation is needed for this exercise.
  • In one sentence, explain briefly why this publication will provide you with useful information about your societal category here:

This publication talk about the greenhouse emissions and projects that have been done in attempt to reduce them. This is related to health because greenhouse emissions deplete the ozone layer increasing the percentage to get skin cancer.





Exercise 2.5: Using Policy Publications
Your Total Score:­­­_ (Maximum 12 points)

A. Using CQ Researcher, find a publication that contains information relevant to your societal category at any geographic level. (6 points)
Part A Score:


  • Using full sentences, quote no more than three sentences from the article that gives you a better understanding of your societal category here:

"The United States has the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) of any industrialized nation. Yet some experts contend the U.S. has no concerted, national campaign to prevent and cure infection. While new AIDS cases have fallen dramatically in the U.S., adolescents, minorities and women suffer disproportionately high rates of all sexual infections."

Glazer Sara, (2004), "Sexually Transmitted Diseases", October 17,2010, http://library.cqpress.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2004120300&type=hitlist&num=4

B. Using the “Contacts” section of the CQ Researcher article, find one of the organizations from the list (preferably a public policy institute), and retrieve a policy paper, working paper, policy brief, or online report from the past five years on your societal category. The “Contacts” section appears once you have opened an article. It is one of the links in the gray column at the left margin of each CQ Researcher publication. (6 points)

Part B Score: _


  • Quote one sentence from the publication that gives evidence of a societal problem that exists within your societal category here:

"The mission of the Abstinence Clearinghouse is to promote the appreciation for and practice of sexual abstinence (purity) until marriage through the distribution of age appropriate, factual and medically-referenced materials."

Abstinence Clearinghouse
801 East 41st St., Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 335-3643
www.abstinence.net
A nonprofit educational organization that promotes sexual abstinence.



Abstinence Clearinghouse. October 17, 2010. www.abstinence.net


Exercise 2.6: Using United States Census Data
Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 15 points)

Use the “American FactFinder” on the 2000 online census report (http://www.census.gov) to locate the information for your home census area, a comparable census area, and the United States, and fill out the chart below with the required information from the 2000 online census report.

  • Fill in the top row of the table with the name of a county and the county that is comparable to the original county. Be sure to indicate the state.
  • The comparable county must be similar to your census area, which is a county, in population size. A comparable population is within 20% of the population size of the original county.
  • If you do not use the 2000 online census report, you will lose all points on this exercise.
  • Do not cite or reference this exercise.



Westchester
Erie
United States
Population
923,459
950,265
310,404,798
Median Age (years)
37.6
38
35.3
% White
71.3
82.2
75.1
% Male
49.1
47.8
49.1
Per Capita Income ($)
36,726
20,357
21,587
% Individuals Below Poverty Level
8.8
12.2
12.4
% Vacant Housing Units
3.5
8.4
9
% High School Graduate or Higher
83.6
82.9
80.4






































Exercise 2.7: Narrowing your societal category
Your Total Score: _ (Maximum: 5 points)

Based on the research you have done in this chapter, narrow your societal category to a specific societal problem within it. Be sure to state it as a problem.

  • Write your specific societal problem, indicating a specific geographic location suffering from the problem here:

How many people is smoking in the state of New York, and how smoking affects your health ?




Exercise 3.1: Researching Your Players
Your Total Score: _ (Maximum: 30 points)

List three individuals, either a player or a staff person of the player, who deal with your narrowed societal problem, keeping in mind the geographic location you specified. Be sure to follow the prompts listed below.

1.) Write the name and position of an elected government official who serves at the local, state or national level here. State the geographic location that they represent.:

Diane J. Savino. Staten Island Senator
  • Write the player’s phone number and email address here (If instead of an email address you find a site that allows you to send a message to the individual, indicate this and provide a link to the site. This applies to all of 3.1):

savino@senate.state.ny.us , (718) 333-0311

  • Write why he/she will provide you with useful information by describing one policy he/she had worked on previously:

Because she is trying to create a law which would ban smoking in certain sites.



  • Write three questions related to your specific societal problem that you could ask the player here:

What motivated you to create this law ?
What do you plan to get from this law ?
Do you think this law will be accepted ?



2.) Write the name and position of a non-elected player from a governmental department here. Specify where they work by providing their geographic location.

Chris Bartholomew
  • Write the player’s phone number and email address here:

info@chrisbartholomew.co.uk, 01825 880600
  • Write why he/she will provide you with useful information by describing one policy he/she had worked on previously:

Because he is trying to ban smoking from public spaces.
  • Write three questions related to your specific societal problem that you could ask the player here:

How do people are going to accept this law ?
What impacts would have this law ?
How this affects health care ?


3.) Write the name, their position, and the non-profit organization or public interest/lobby group they work for here. The non-profit organization or public interest/lobby group may be local, state or national.

Patrick Reynolds
The foundation for a smoke-free America. National
  • Write the player’s phone number and email address here:

(800) 541-7741
  • Write why he/she will provide you with useful information by describing one policy he/she had worked on or one service the organization has provided previously:

He is the founder of the foundation.
  • Write three questions related to your specific societal problem that you could ask the player here:
Why did you create this foundation ?
What do you plan to do with it ?
Do you think it has been helpful ?

Exercise 4.1: Gathering Information for and Determining the Purpose of a Survey
Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 16 points)

A. Select a player to be your “client,” and contact them or a member of their staff. This does not have to be a player from Exercise 3.1. Use the information you get from communicating with this person to answer the following bullets (10 points). After you receive a reply, send your contact a thank you e-mail with a carbon copy (CC) to your TA in the e-mail.
Part A score:

· Name the individual you contacted, his/her organization, his/her title, and the geographic location where work:

Bob Langert, VP of Corporate Responsibility for the McDonald’s Corporation located in Oak Brook, Illinois.

· Write the individual’s phone number and email address here. (If instead of an email address you find a site that allows you to send a message to the individual, indicate this and provide a link to the site).

Email address: bob.langert@us.mcd.com

· Briefly describe the purpose of the survey you will be designing here, including a quote from the player that justifies why this survey will be useful:

The purpose of the survey would be to conduct a survey on McDonald’s influence on obesity in the United States. Mr. Langert will provide useful information regarding any questions because he is very knowledgeable on his company’s policies and effects.

"I am… proud of knowing one of the most influential change agents of this generation."

CSR Video Updates: Interview with Bob Langert, VP of Corporate Responsibility, McDonald’s Corporation. Retrieved (Oct. 25, 2010.), from http://www.justmeans.com/videos/CSR-Video-Updates--Interview-with-Bob-Langert--VP-of-Corporate-Responsibility--McDonald-s-Corporation/1113.html

· Write a piece of factual information that could be gathered through your survey here:


How many Big Mac Burgers do you eat in a week?

None
1
2
3
4
5 or more

· Write a piece of attitudinal information that could be gathered through your survey here:


Do you believe McDonald’s food is bad for a person’s health?

Yes
No

· Describe a type of policy the player might develop from the information gathered in your survey here:


Mr. Langert might find lower cholesterol alternatives to his food products.

B. Quote the definition of the term "target population" from the Maxwell Manual. (2 points)
Part B score:_

· Place definition here:

“The target population is the entire group of individuals about whom you want to gather information.”

(Maxwell Manual, pg. 40)


C. Identify the target population you will sample for your survey. You cannot use any single K-12 school or a university as your target population. (4 points)
Part C score:_

  • Write a specific description of your target population including its geographic location and approximate size:


Customers for the Route 202 McDonald’s.

Exercise 4.2: Choosing a Sample and Method of Contact
Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 8 points)

A. Indicate and discuss which of the three methods of contact from the Maxwell Manual you will use to contact your sample. (4 points)
Part A score:_


  • State the method here:

Telephone

  • Justify why you have chosen to use this method here using information from the Maxwell Manual:

You get a chance to stimulate the person’s interest. You have more supportive responses by the interviewer, producing better answers. There is also a chance to do follow-up questions, clear up ambiguous answers, and answer questions in the mind of the respondent. The benefits outweigh the cost of such an endeavor because results are accurate to any survey done.



B. Identify one variable you will use to assess the degree to which your sample accurately reflects your target population. (4 points)
Part B score:_



  • Identify the variable here:


Pick the last digit of the phone number.


  • Explain why the variable you have chosen matters, and why it is important that the distribution of the variable should be similar to the target population:


The last digit of the phone number could be held up against Benford’s Law and see how random it truly is.

Exercise 4.3: Determining Sample Size
Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 15 points)

A. Clearly and concisely describe the exact procedures you will use to select the sample and contact the respondents. Be detailed and list each step needed to select the sample. Be realistic. (5 points)
Part A score:_


  • List the steps you will follow here:

  1. Put an ad in the paper asking for surveyors. Information on the exact form of the survey (via telephone) and the compensation (pay) would be written in. A number to contact us would be given.
  2. After 5 receiving surveyors, each would be given a TI-89 calculator provided by us. One calculator would have to be rented from Staples.
  3. The numbers 9144691219 and 9148454321 would be plugged in.
  4. The surveyors would then begin randomly generating numbers and calling the numbers received.

B. Complete the following steps to determine your sample size and confidence interval. (4 points)
Part B score:_

· Restate your target population and its size here:

People who eat at McDonald’s on route 202 in a given day.

· Indicate the size of the sample you plan to analyze here:

200 individuals

· Indicate the approximate percentage this represents of the target population here:


13.3%


· Indicate the 95% confidence interval of responses from a sample of this size here:

±7%

C. Complete the following steps to determine your response rate and required number of contacts. (6 points)
Part C score:_


  • Estimate the exact response rate you expect for your survey here:



  • Justify the rate you chose here:



  • Write how many people you will have to contact in order to obtain your desired number of responses here:



  • Using the formula from the text, show the calculations that you used to find how many people you will have to contact here:





Exercise 4.4: Creating the Questions
Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 6 points)

Provide examples of two closed-choice questions for your survey. Base one question on the factual information your player identified in 4.1, and base the other on the attitudinal information your player identified in 4.1. All response categories must be shown.


  • Write the question that will gather factual information here:


How often do you smoke a day?

Never
Very rarely
Sometimes
Often
All the time

  • Write the question that will gather attitudinal information here:


Should prostitution be legal?

Yes
No

Exercise 4.5: Examining News Media Treatment of Surveys
Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 6 points)

Using the ProQuest database or LexisNexis Academic database, locate a newspaper article from the last six months that presents or discusses a survey that has already been conducted on ANY subject, not necessarily the one studied in this module. The article may not be international. Attach a copy of the entire article directly behind the page on which this exercise appears.



  • Quote at least one sentence from the article here:
"Anxiety sensitivity, distress tolerance, and discomfort intolerance have been identified as important factors related to alcohol use motives and alcohol-related problems."

Howel Ashley, Leyro Teresa, Hogan Julianna, Buckner Julia, Zvolensky Michael.Anxiety sensitivity, distress tolerance, and discomfort intolerance in relation to coping and conformity motives for alcohol use and alcohol use problems among young adult drinkers", dec 2010, http://proquest.umi.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/pqdweb?index=0&did=2154229071&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=2&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1288832871&clientId=3739.



  • Using the questions under “Examining News Media Treatment of Surveys” on page 54 of the Maxwell Manual, evaluate how thoroughly the author reported the procedures followed for the survey here by using at least three questions in your response.





Exercise 4.6: References
Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 16 points)


  • Prepare a list of references that includes all sources for this module.
  • Follow the APA format.
  • Include all sources used in the exercises.

· Start References on the next line or on the next page: **


http://www.lnstatistical.com/PdfMerge?id=nnzYxEMN_3P2hjRT-Fs2CHBL2lx4v8_v9ARbtyEqHIYr34JGU3G7swKIi2J_7LMOJ3JW4YSgoXKn6brIHVpE3duGxOsCnh77W_N9tJe8waOrqIPvhQo7K7eps20c_sOZfg1bU2mktCR-ESrK_2xGzA%3D%3D . Page 57


Tonda,,,,,(2010) "Sexual victimization and hazardous drinking among heterosexual and sexual minority women", Oc
tober 16,2010, http://proquest.umi.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/pqdweb?index=3&did=2154229091&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=2&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1287259992&clientId=3739.


Schlosser Erik(2001), "Fast Food Nation", October 16,2010,http://books.google.com/books?id=yNFN1OpnkBkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=fast+food+nation&hl=en&ei=Cii6TIGjJ4G0lQfux7n0DQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false


Glazer Sara, (2004), "Sexually Transmitted Diseases", October 17,2010, http://library.cqpress.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2004120300&type=hitlist&num=4


CSR Video Updates: Interview with Bob Langert, VP of Corporate Responsibility, McDonald’s Corporation. Retrieved (Oct. 25, 2010.), from http://www.justmeans.com/videos/CSR-Video-Updates--Interview-with-Bob-Langert--VP-of-Corporate-Responsibility--McDonald-s-Corporation/1113.html


Howel Ashley, Leyro Teresa, Hogan Julianna, Buckner Julia, Zvolensky Michael.Anxiety sensitivity, distress tolerance, and discomfort intolerance in relation to coping and conformity motives for alcohol use and alcohol use problems among young adult drinkers", dec 2010, http://proquest.umi.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/pqdweb?index=0&did=2154229071&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=2&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1288832871&clientId=3739.